Retic Feeding question - thoughts please :)

Lankyrob · 04-23-12, 12:30 PM

Our SD retic is totally psycho when it comes to feeding time, it has gotten to the point where we have had to refrain from using the plastic plate that we used to feed him on (in his viv) as when he saw it he would start striking at it (and us).

The last few feeds we have resorted to throwing the rat onto a large piece of bark that is on his viv in order to reduce any risk of substrate ingestion - the problem being because he doesnt see the rat enter the viv he strikes at anything hot - the hottest thing in the viv being his heatbulb.

Tonight he caught his teeth in the heat guard

before we had a chance to try to help him he did get himself free but obviously we dont want this happening again.

Can anyone that has a larger snake (or one with the retic mentality

) share how you feed yours - the whole process please not just "in their viv"

One idea we have come up with so far is to get feeding tongs that are half as long again as the ones we currently use - the new ones will be 16inches - with the hope that we can start to strike feed him again without him coming at us

Any thoughts i would be very happy to hear them!!!

Norm66 · 04-23-12, 12:37 PM

My friend who has large burms uses the kind of grabber or gripper device that has a trigger you pull on one end and arms that close on the other. My mother in law uses a similar device to get her paper off the front stoop in the morning. They're 3' or so long an should make it safe for you.

Lankyrob · 04-23-12, 12:38 PM

Does he have any issue actually getting it into the viv tho? Doc literally strikes through the door gap as soon as it opens

stevenrudge · 04-23-12, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lankyrob

Our SD retic is totally psycho when it comes to feeding time, it has gotten to the point where we have had to refrain from using the plastic plate that we used to feed him on (in his viv) as when he saw it he would start striking at it (and us).

The last few feeds we have resorted to throwing the rat onto a large piece of bark that is on his viv in order to reduce any risk of substrate ingestion - the problem being because he doesnt see the rat enter the viv he strikes at anything hot - the hottest thing in the viv being his heatbulb.

Tonight he caught his teeth in the heat guard

before we had a chance to try to help him he did get himself free but obviously we dont want this happening again.

Can anyone that has a larger snake (or one with the retic mentality

) share how you feed yours - the whole process please not just "in their viv"

One idea we have come up with so far is to get feeding tongs that are half as long again as the ones we currently use - the new ones will be 16inches - with the hope that we can start to strike feed him again without him coming at us

Any thoughts i would be very happy to hear them!!!

So your Retic's got a good feeding response then!in the past l've turned the lights off and the heat and fed them over night,what size is the snake and how old?

Norm66 · 04-23-12, 12:41 PM

No, burms aren't quite as hyper as you describe. Lol. Im sure someon will be along with more ideas, that was just he first thing I thought of.

Lankyrob · 04-23-12, 12:41 PM

He is about three yrs old and about 6.5foot long and yes his feeding response is awesome which is so weird because he is a total pussycat when there is no food about - i use him for educational talks at schools as he is so placid

alessia55 · 04-23-12, 12:41 PM

How about a big flat rock or something similar as a permanent part of his enclosure that can act as a permanent plate to put the prey on? That way you can open and throw the prey onto that rock at feeding time. Just a thought

shaunyboy · 04-23-12, 12:41 PM

my mate feeds his burm's with 3ft long feeding tongs Rob

his male burm has an incredable feeding response,as soon as the door opens ( when theres rat odour in the room)

don't take this the wrong way,but could he be hungry and needing his prey size upped mate ?

cheers shaun

P.S.you probally just have a food insane retic mate

alessia55 · 04-23-12, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Norm66

My friend who has large burms uses the kind of grabber or gripper device that has a trigger you pull on one end and arms that close on the other. My mother in law uses a similar device to get her paper off the front stoop in the morning. They're 3' or so long an should make it safe for you.

is this what you're talking about?
These are snake tongs... you squeeze one end, and it grabs on the other end.

Lankyrob · 04-23-12, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alessia55

How about a big flat rock or something similar as a permanent part of his enclosure that can act as a permanent plate to put the prey on? That way you can open and throw the prey onto that rock at feeding time. Just a thought

Thats why we were using the huge piece of bark, trouble is you literally cant open the door to his viv! At present i stand one end and open the door slightly so that he heads at me and wife quickly opens other end and tosses rat in - its just that he is focussed on the rat as it enters the viv and then goes crazy striking at everything

Lankyrob · 04-23-12, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shaunyboy

my mate feeds his burm's with 3ft long feeding tongs Rob

his male burm has an incredable feeding response,as soon as the door opens ( when theres rat odour in the room)

don't take this the wrong way,but could he be hungry and needing his prey size upped mate ?

cheers shaun

P.S.you probally just have a food insane retic mate

We did think that it could be food size but the last three feeds have been rats roughly 4 times his girth - he takes about 20 minutes to swallow them once he stops launching himself around the viv

shaunyboy · 04-23-12, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lankyrob

He is about three yrs old and about 6.5foot long and yes his feeding response is awesome which is so weird because he is a total pussycat when there is no food about - i use him for educational talks at schools as he is so placid

just a thought mate.....

if one of the kids smells of cat,hamster,guinea pig,etc

he may go into feeding mode

i've seen my carpets strike and hold my vet,after he has seen a cat before my snake

cheers shaun

KD35WIN.AS.ONE · 04-23-12, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alessia55

is this what you're talking about?
These are snake tongs... you squeeze one end, and it grabs on the other end.

midwest M1 tongs, there may not be a better tool for feeding 6ft aggressive feeding naja kaouthia. I recommend them to anyone, care must be taken if used as a handling tool i must add.

shaunyboy · 04-23-12, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lankyrob

We did think that it could be food size but the last three feeds have been rats roughly 4 times his girth - he takes about 20 minutes to swallow them once he stops launching himself around the viv

sounds like he may just be an aggresive feeder mate

i have carpets that get frenzied when they smell prey,i have a jag who strikes his heat guard,or anything else that moves ( just like your retic),yet he's placid at all other times

i hope someone with retic experience can help mate

cheers shaun

Lankyrob · 04-23-12, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shaunyboy

just a thought mate.....

if one of the kids smells of cat,hamster,guinea pig,etc

he may go into feeding mode

i've seen my carpets strike and hold my vet,after he has seen a cat before my snake

cheers shaun

We never let the kids touch/hold the snakes at the talks, in our home we always make them wash their hands first - but i would never let them hold Doc anyways as he is too powerful for a child